Smart Choices for Better Nutrition: Tips, Tricks, and Advice

Nutrition Navigator Making Smart Choices 1

Learning Points Nutrition labels The power of food diaries Importance of breakfast Healthy lunches to bring to work Quick dinners Blood sugar Fiber Sugars 2 2

How To Read Food Labels 3

Exercise Discuss and compare Which is the best? Which is worst? Why? 4 4

Tips for Eating Out Try To: Avoid: Go into a restaurant starving Ask for substitutions and modifications Fill up on appetizers and bread before your meal Fill your meal with color and whole grains Order from the appetizer section Drink your calories Eat too fast (digest slowly to evaluate your hunger) Think about how your food is being prepared and cooked 5 5

Meal Planning Tips Cook extra food and save in fridge or freezer to bring with you for lunch at work during the week Have good tools on hand like a rice cooker, crock pot, blender, steamer and saut pan Keep cooked or fast-cooking grains on hand o Example: Once a week you can boil a few cups of quinoa, keep in the fridge, and each day add to salad for lunch or mix with vegetables Store frozen berries and greens (like spinach) in the freezer to make a quick smoothie for breakfast Keep healthy snacks on hand to take with you o Nuts, seeds, nut butters and whole grain crackers, beans, celery/carrot sticks 6 6

The Importance of Breakfast Reduces hunger later in the day o If you skip breakfast, you are likely to eat more throughout the day o Eating breakfast keeps you on track to eat healthier meals throughout the day Gives you energy and fuel to begin the day Controls weight Key components of a healthy breakfast: whole grains, protein, dairy and fruits and vegetables o This combination of foods gives you complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and a small amount of fat which combined is full of health benefits and helps you feel fuller longer, keeping your energy levels up Examples: o Whole grains: whole grain bread or English muffins, brown rice cakes, whole grain oats o Protein: almond or peanut butter, meat, eggs o Dairy: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese o All fruits and vegetables: add to omelets, oatmeal, smoothies 7 7

Healthy Snacking Tips Snacking is key for meal planning and staying healthy o Helps to satisfy hunger o Keeps you from overindulging at meals o Keeps your energy levels up Healthy snack ideas o Apple and peanut butter o Vegetables and hummus o Nuts (make your own trail mix) o Turkey and cheese with whole grain crackers o Fruit 8 8

Healthy Lunches at Work All of these can be prepared the night before so they are ready to go each day Turkey, lettuce, tomato and avocado on multigrain bread Salad with grilled chicken Quinoa salad with bell peppers, black beans, avocado and salsa Leftover chili or lentil soup (prepare a crock pot ahead of time over the weekend) Egg salad on multigrain English muffin 9 9

Quick Dinners Tips for making quick, healthy dinners: o Make a plan of your meals for the week o Grocery shop so items are readily available at home o Prepare 1-dish meals o Cook once, use 2 or 3 times (left over for lunch or the next night) Quick and easy dinner ideas: o Stir fry with chicken and vegetables served over brown rice o Fish, sweet potato and vegetable o Meat stew with vegetables (add barley or lentils to stew) o Easy crock pot chili full of beans and ground turkey 10 10

Healthy Eating for Blood Sugar Diet and exercise can help control Type 2 Diabetes and blood sugar levels Don t skip meals Keep track of how much you eat, focus on the amount and type of carbohydrates Foods to fill your plate with when eating for healthy blood sugar levels: o Vegetables (preferably non-starchy), fruits, whole grains, healthy protein o Healthy protein sources: fish, poultry, and beans, and eggs instead of processed meats like bacon, cold cuts, sausage o Choose whole grains, minimize refined grains (white rice and white bread, foods from which fiber has been removed) 11 11

Fiber: Insoluble and Soluble Two kinds of fiber: both important for our health, our digestion and for disease prevention. Soluble absorbs water and slows digestion o Can help to lower the risk of heart disease o Found in: oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables Insoluble helps food process and move more quickly through the stomach and intestines o Supports digestive health o Found in: wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains, seeds and skins of fruit 12 12

Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes o Can be derived from naturally occurring elements like herbs or even sugar itself o Can be sweeter than regular sugar o Examples: sucralose (Splenda), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), saccharin (Sugar Twin, Sweet N Low) Natural sweeteners: sugar substitutes Usually promoted as healthier option over refined white sugar or other sugar substitutes Examples: agave nectar, date sugar, maple syrup, honey, molasses 13 13

Pros and Cons of Sugar Substitutes Cons Pros Can aid in weight control Research shows that there are concerns they can cause health issues, including cancer but there is no scientific evidence A good choice over sugar for someone who has diabetes Don t contribute to tooth decay They are regulated by the FDA Moderation is key too much of one thing is never good 14 14

Popular Diets Atkins Zone South Beach Mediterranean Jenny Craig Weight Watchers Nutrisystem So what's the answer? 15 15

Importance of Moderation Just a reminder too much of any one thing is never a good idea. Helpful tips: o Mix it up - add lots of color to your diet/plate o Choose different whole grains - brown rice, oats, quinoa o Be aware of food labels and always read the ingredient list o Keep a food journal to track your meals and eating habits; also helps to count calories o Be aware of what is really in vitamins and supplements; look at the labels and always talk to your doctor before taking anything 16 16

Resources/Apps www.mayoclinic.org www.heart.org www.diabetes.org Fitbit: a physical activity tool that tracks steps and activity, sleep patterns, calories burned Apps: o MyFitnessPal o SparkPeople o Lose It! 17 17

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